The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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4 THE WOLVERINE ❱ NOVEMBER 2025 ENTERING A GOLDEN AGE FOR MICHIGAN BASKETBALL Michigan has made seven NCAA title games in its men's basketball history. Looking back, you can't help but feel that Michigan did not become the consistent basketball power that it should have been. There have been the "What ifs" like finishing a close second for Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). There have also been some bad coaching hires and a prolonged cloud that dogged the program after Steve Fisher was fired. Now I believe Michigan is entering an era where the bas- ketball program will finally reach and sustain its enormous potential, and that is because Dusty May will be the greatest coach ever at U of M. That is because May is a combination of the greatest recruiter (Bill Frieder) and the great- est coach (tie between Johnny Orr and John Beilein) in program history. Frieder, often maligned as a coach, did win back-to-back state titles at Flint Northern and also back-to- back outright Big Ten titles at Michigan. But it was as a tireless and relentless recruiter that he will be remembered. After all, it was his players (and staff) that won the lone NCAA title in school history. He was given a ring by Michigan as confirmation of that fact. Johnny Orr was a great coach and teacher but was an indifferent recruiter. It was his assistant Frieder who was responsible for Michigan getting Rickey Green and Phil Hub- bard, among others. Beilein was a great teacher and coach but it took him some time and a staff revamp to start attracting talent. He uncovered some gems that he developed but did not sign that many elite prep players. Beilein was great, and Michigan owes him a lot for restoring the program. His emphasis on skill and shooting won a lot of games but also put a lower ceiling on the team. You can't always outcoach everyone, and really athletic teams gave Michigan problems. May inherited a tough situation, and what he did in his first season is absolutely incred- ible. He is a tireless recruiter and has had great success in the high school ranks, the portal and internationally. He is a proven coach who built Florida Atlantic from the ground up. His style of play is both appealing to players and versatile and adaptable. Dusty is also not content to just compete for Big Ten titles, he wants to hang NCAA title ban- ners in Crisler. I am usually cautious in predictions, but I believe that if Dusty stays at Michigan for 15 years he will win multiple NCAA titles, with a very good chance to win his first this com- ing season. Let us all enjoy the ride because Michigan basketball is poised to accomplish great things! Kevin G. Smith Orange, Calif. DOES U-M FOOTBALL WINNING OUT GUARANTEE A CFP SPOT? Michigan would be 10-2 with a win over (most likely No. 1) Ohio State. But wouldn't that mean the B1G would HAVE to get 4 into the CFP for this to happen (Ohio State, Indi- ana, Oregon, U-M), AND is that a sure thing? Edit: I left out USC, which complicates things even more. TrueBlueFanatic I don't think it is a sure thing. USC could say the same thing and they would have the H2H [head-to-head win]. Lots of other teams in a similar spot as us. Just need to take it one game at a time. michman32 The other teams don't play the No. 1 team in the country on the final week of the regu- lar season, though ... I think winning out would guarantee us a place in the B1G Cham- pionship game via the tiebreaker. Slim Pickens I see no scenario where a 10-2 Michigan with a win against No. 1 OSU doesn't make the playoff. JL_Wolverine07 A lot of non-objective homer posts in this thread ignoring the facts. A 10-2 Michigan team may not even make the B1G champion- ship game. A 10-2 USC and 10-2 Oklahoma team both should get in the playoffs over Michigan. Not only because of H2H, but de- cisive wins at that. Indiana likely runs the regular season table at this point and is in ahead of Michigan. Even with a loss in Ann Arbor, Ohio State is also in ahead of Michi- gan. Under these exact scenarios, Michigan would have to be the fourth B1G team se- lected, which is no guarantee. SEC will get 4 teams in due to their conference bias as the best conference. Running out of at-large bids for Michigan at that point. TampaBlue ❱ Be Heard! Send your letters to: Wolverine Letters P.O. Box 2331 Durham, NC 27702 Or email: mark.panus@on3.com Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Letters/From Our Website: TheWolverine.com November 2025 • Vol. 37, No. 5 ISSN 1048-9940 TheWolverine.com Senior Editor Chris Balas Senior Writer John Borton Staff Writers Clayton Sayfie Anthony Broome EJ Holland Ethan McDowell Drew Hallett Contributing Editors Stu Coman Matt Herb Cathy Jones Chris Riffer Steve Downey Layout And Design Jeanette Blankenship, Chris Miller, Shelby Cragg Contributing Photographers Lon Horwedel Per Kjeldsen Cover Photo Lon Horwedel Editor & Publisher Mark Panus Business Analyst Sarah Boone Circulation Coordinator Beverly Taylor Advertising Sales Maria Taustine (502) 552-4390 Customer Service Lauren Gordon, Shelby Cragg, Cathy Jones (800) 421-7751 The Wolverine is published monthly. A one-year (12 issues) subscription is $74.99. The Wolverine is printed at The Papers in Milford, Ind. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Wolverine, P.O. Box 2331, Durham, NC 27702. Periodical postage paid at Durham, NC 27702 and additional offices. 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